Just George
by Ava Miranda Dakedavra
Summary: The story of how George finally realized that he wasn't just 'a Weasley twin' anymore, through the help of one Hermione Granger.


It had always been 'Fred and George Weasley' or 'the Weasley twins.' He'd hardly ever been just George, and even then it was after people assumed him to be Fred. It took an ear being blown off for people to recognize him, and after that he'd nearly lost his other half. Fred had, instead of dying, just been knocked unconscious. He'd given the entire Weasley family a fright by stretching and yawning and asking if they'd won. George had never been more grateful in his life.

Maybe this was why he felt guilty for being a little bit mad at his twin. Of course, it wasn't his fault they were twins, or his fault that everybody thought of him first when it came to the two.

Everybody, that is, except for one.

He'd been shocked when she'd called him by name once – he'd thought it was a fluke. And then another time she'd said 'George and Fred.' He thought that was strange. After nearly the twentieth time, he knew it was fate. Who else would be able to see him as him and not as Fred?

Hermione Granger did have her ways, though.

When he'd heard that Ron and Hermione were dating, his eye was twitching in jealousy for days. Fred wanted to have him looked at, so eventually he'd had to tell him. Thinking he'd scoff, he was surprised to find that Fred was completely on his side and rooting for him.

He'd even gone so far as to set them up in little fights. He'd bring up S.P.E.W and get them at it, but Harry would break that up with an annoyed expression. He'd bring up how Ron would pick fun at her and get them started again, but then Ginny would hit Ron on the head and they'd be laughing.

So whenever he and Fred Apparated to the Burrow's garden for dinner, he was surprised to hear Hermione and Ron yelling at each other.

" – you're such a complete _arse!_" she yelled.

"Oh yeah, like _you're_ a picnic!" he yelled back as Fred towed him silently to the edge of the bushes.

"I am _not_ some kind of _doll_, Ronald, and you'd take care to remember that!" he could practically see her in his mind's eye, back straight in defiance, arms crossed, and legs spread for steadiness. "Just because I _talk_ to a man, does not mean I'm _cheating_!"

"It does too!"

"I talk to Harry all the time!" she shouted, "And Charlie and Bill and George and Fred! And besides – if just _talking_ to the opposite gender qualifies as cheating, then you've been cheating on me with Lavender Brown for a month!"

Ron was silent for five minutes.

She gasped, "Oh my Merlin – you've been _cheating _on me with _Lavender Brown _for a _MONTH_?"

"_RON!_" George bolted up from his squatting position, face red, ready to kill his little brother as Fred shot up as well, although he looked horrified.

"You were listening?" Ron glared at his brothers.

"You were _cheating_?" George glared back at him, "What is bloody wrong with you? I mean – what the hell? _Cheating_, Ron?"

There was a loud crack and the three men blinked at where Hermione had been standing. There now was a note left there. Fred walked forward and grabbed it before handing it to his twin.

_Ron – we're done._

_George and Fred – I'm glad you two were listening. Now I don't have to explain it to everybody else. I'm sorry, but I can't make it to dinner._

_~ Hermione_

She'd been gone for nearly a month. She'd moved out of her apartment, changed locations for her bookstore, and not told a soul. Harry couldn't find her and neither could Ginny. Mrs. Weasley kept consulting the clock, which she'd added Harry and Hermione's names to, but it just kept showing her at the _Traveling_ spot. Mr. Weasley had tried to find any sign of her at the Ministry, but with nothing. Charlie had friends all over the world that were keeping an eye out for her, just in case, and Bill was watching her Gringotts vault with a close eye.

George was the only one who'd had any luck.

He was walking down the street in Ireland, coming back from visiting his friend Oliver Wood and deciding to check out what was there. Seeing a bookstore, he decided that he and Fred could use a new spellbook for the shop, so he popped in to see what was there.

Looking around the spacious room, filled to the brim with books, he couldn't help but think of the bookworm and sigh before he set to the task of finding someone to help him. He found a young woman in an apron and tapped her on the shoulder, hardly noticing that she had a familiar look about her until she turned around.

"Hello, how can I help y – " she was cut off with a gasp, "_George_? How – how did you find me?"

He gaped at her and leaned forward as if to see if it was actually her, "_Hermione?_ Where have you _been_? Have you – have you been hiding from us?"

"No!" she said indignantly before sighing, "Yes. Ever since that fight with Ron, I've been scared to go near the rest of the Weasleys."

"Why?" he asked, truly confused.

"For one thing, he lives there, for another, well…you'd be pretty sore with me for ending it with him, huh?"

"_You?_" he asked, incredulous, "Why would we be mad at _you_ when _he's_ the one whose been cheating? Hermione, nobody is mad at you, nobody at all – everybody's mad at Ron, nobody'll talk to him now."

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes!" he said, exasperated with her, "But Ireland, Mione? _Ireland_? You knew Fred and I weren't mad at you, you could've stayed with us. Hell, if I'd known you were going into hiding, I would've kidnapped you and hid you there."

She smiled at him before dropping a book on a nearby shelf and hugging him, burying her face in his chest, "Thanks, George."

He sighed, dropping his head onto hers and stroking her hair, "You're moving back."

"Where to?" she asked him, "I stopped paying rent on both my apartment and store."

"You, Miss Granger," he said, pulling away from her but holding her arms, "Are going to move in with Fred and I. We shall discuss the matter of your bookstore on a later date."

Her eyes widened, "George, I can't – "

"Oh hush – Fred'll be happy to, and besides, he owes me for all the times he and Angelina have kicked me out," he shrugged, "And we don't even have to tell a soul, if you want."

She thought about it, staring at his face before she smiled again and threw her arms around his neck.

"George Weasley, you really are something."

Hermione had stayed on the twin's couch, refusing to take Fred or George's room. She'd Apparate back to Ireland to change clothes and work at her store – when she wasn't, she was either looking for a shop with a loft or at Weasley Wizard Wheezes. A few weeks later, she ran into the store and practically tackled the nearest twin – which was, coincidentally, George.

"George, George," she grinned, practically bouncing with excitement, "I found a shop – with a loft – and I can move in next week! The owner's a barmy old bird, who thinks I remind her of her when she was younger, so she gave the whole thing to me for _half!_ With all the money I've saved, I'll be able to do some major adjustments to the store that I couldn't have done before!"

He grinned at her, setting aside notes for a product he'd been working on, "That's great, Hermione!"

"I'm thinking of changing the name," she said excitedly, "But I have no clue of what to change it to."

George pursed his lips, reaching his hands out to touch her face, running his thumb over her cheek. Heart thudding loudly in his chest, he dropped his hands, chickening out of his 'master plan', "Wonderland."

"What?" she asked, hardly unfazed through his touch, "Why?"

He shrugged, turning back to his notes, "You're hardly ever in our world when you read – I suspect it's like that for other people. And another suggestion – you could do with a humor section, and maybe a kid section. Get a copy of _Babbity Rabbity_ and convince Percy to dress up like a rabbit and read to some kids once a week."

She gaped at him before tackling him again, "George, you're _brilliant!_" She pressed a kiss to his cheek before running off to go tell Ginny. He watched her leave the backroom and he groaned, burying his hands in his hair as he stared desperately down at his notes.

"What am I going to do?" he whispered to himself, "She hardly noticed – how can she _not notice?_" He groaned again, leaning back now to stare up at the ceiling, "She's going to kill me."

"I'll say," Fred said from the doorway, making George jump a little, "George, all you did is touch her - something that everybody likes to do, they're called 'friendly gestures.' She probably thought you were getting an eyelash or something."

George just thunked his head down on the desk in response.

Nobody had seen Hermione for another few weeks, which worried the few Weasleys which knew she was home. Okay, so basically everybody _but_ Ron. But on a Saturday night, during the weekly Weasley family dinner, she showed up with a giant grin on her face, which was splattered with paint. Her hair was messed up, and her old jeans and t-shirt were also covered in different shades of blue and green and purple.

"So _that's_ what you've been up to!" Charlie said with a laugh as he stood up and carefully hugged her, "We thought you ditched us again!"

"Starting a new trend, Mione?" Ginny teased, "Doubt you'll get much luck with it."

"Stop being jealous, Ginny," Bill advised, "You look _fab_, Hermione."

She giggled as Fleur rolled her eyes at her husband, "Bill, I will advise you to stop mocking me. I was drunk and, if you care to remember, it was _you_ who got me in zuch a state _for a laugh_."

"Yeah," Angelina grinned across the table, "You should probably move seats now. Hermione needs nourishment anyway." She turned to Hermione now as Bill scooted his seat away from his wife, "Honey, how long has it been since you've eaten?"

Hermione pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes and looking as if she was searching her brain for that information, "I _think_ I ate last night. I'm pretty sure I did. Just don't ask the last time I slept."

Mrs. Weasley pounced from her seat at last, "Hermione dear, why would you do that to yourself?"

"Because I wanted to get done in time!" she said before accepting a piece of bread from Fred.

"In time for what?" George asked.

"Get what done?" Ron asked instead.

"Finish eating and you'll see!" she said, bouncing up and down, the grin returning.

"You heard her – eat like mad!" Arthur advised before shoving a whole roll in his mouth and attempting to chew it. Molly frowned at him, but it was ruined by the fact that she was trying to smile at Hermione too.

"I'll eat later, c'mon!" George said, attempting to tow Hermione away. She just laughed and planted her feet, now tugging him back with his family.

"George, no, I want _everyone_ to see it!" she said.

"Hermione, we can finish eating later," Molly said as everyone bolted from their seats. Hermione laughed as George and Ginny tugged her to the living room and towards the fire.

One Floo later and everyone was standing in the middle of an empty living room, which had pale yellow walls and opened to a kitchen with an island separating the two rooms. There were three white doors to the right of them, and to the left a lone brown door.

"C'mon then!" she said before setting off towards the brown door, opening it up and going down a spiral staircase. Everybody followed, gasping as they looked at the sight.

She'd painted the wall behind them like a castle, the flags moving and the knights and princesses – which were drawn with excruciating detail – waving up at the family. The ceiling showed stars twinkling, spaceships zooming through and writing words with their bubbles, such as _Hello, Weasley family!_ The wall they were currently looking at showed a sunset, which was the same way the sky looked at the moment. The wall to their right from the staircase – the back of the store – showed a scene from Edgar Allen Poe's _The Telltale Heart_, although it was dimmer back there and there was a curtain separating the two sections.

Walking down the staircase, they walked past a tall, curvy dark blue bookcase and saw a counter, which was painted with a sunset as well, and saw a blonde sitting on top of it in overalls.

"Luna!" Ginny crowed before hugging her friend, "Did you and Hermione do all this by yourselves?"

"No!" a voice called from a room behind the counter, "I helped!" Neville walked forward, wiping hot pink paint from his nose and succeeding horribly.

"Me too!" Lee said as he walked in from the back, grinning at the mess Neville was making.

"Jordan!" Fred and George said happily, running forward to tackle him.

"I get no recognition for my hard work," Oliver sighed from the corner as Angelina walked forward and gave him a quick, friendly side-hug.

"No, you don't. And I doubt you probably ever will," Luna smiled dreamily at her boyfriend, who smiled back, but with an eyeroll.

"But isn't this amazing?" Neville asked, waving Harry and Ron away from making fun of his nose, "It's really something."

"Yeah – look at my spaceships," Lee said, grinning up at the ceiling, "See those little aliens in there?"

"No," Ron said, squinting.

"Probably 'cause there aren't none," he said, clapping him on the back.

"Our sky is _amazing_, thank you," Oliver said, pointing over at the sunset as Neville nodded his agreement.

"I like our kingdom, Hermione," Luna said, reaching over to pat the wall with the castle.

"I love the Poe wall," Hermione said, grinning over at it, "You did amazing work on it, Luna."

"Thank you," she smiled back.

"This is amazing, Hermione," Molly said, smiling at her, "Your store will be a great big hit."

"I agree," Percy said, adjusting his glasses, "This is great."

"Did you get the rabbit costume?" George muttered to the brunette, making her snort and try not to laugh aloud.

"Hey," Harry said, peering out the window built in to the door, "Is that - ? No, no way, it is!"

"Is what?" Ginny asked, walking forward with everyone else.

"Is that our shop?" Fred said happily.

"Is it?" Hermione blinked, "I haven't stepped foot outside for two weeks."

"But you checked it out before that," George said, furrowing his eyebrows at her.

"We Apparated here – I didn't know it was next to yours," she shrugged.

"Awesome!" Lee exclaimed, "I can check out my spaceships any time now!"

"And now we can come annoy our favorite little bookworm whenever we want!" Fred cheered as Hermione groaned.

"'Course, Gred, we'll have to take turns," George told him, "We can't leave the store to fend for itself, now can we?"

"Oh no, that'd turn out terribly, Forge," Fred tut-tut-tutted, "No, we'll work out a timesheet on a later date."

Once the store finally was ready for business, they did decide who would go over to bug Hermione and when. George mostly did though, Fred hardly went, although when he did he would be going to research things on becoming a dad. George would tease him about how when Angelina had told him, he'd fainted.

"It seems like everybody's getting married and having kids," Hermione sighed as Fred once again darkened her doorstep, patrolling through the books and frowning at the titles.

George nodded as he helped her close up, peeking around the corners to see if anybody was there, "I know – and we're still pretty young. I mean, it wouldn't be much if we were older, but we're practically fresh from the war."

"I feel like an old maid," she frowned as she locked the door with a flick of her wand, leaning against the countertop, "I'm just going to get a cane and yell at kids to get off my lawn from now on."

"Sounds like a plan," he grinned as Fred walked up to them, looking distressed.

"I've read all of these, and I still haven't a clue what I'm going to do!" he said before turning to Hermione and grabbing her shoulders, "Hermione, you're female – females have built in mothering systems or whatever." He was now shaking her, "HELP ME MOTHER!"

George snorted and pulled Hermione away from Fred, "Err, I think you need help with _fathering_, Fred."

"Fred, you'll be great at being a father," she said with a smile, "There are no books to tell you what to do step by step throughout your baby's life. I'll even let you in on a secret – those books are rubbish, they do nothing."

He smiled back at her before glancing at the two, placing a hand on his chin, "Huh. Weird."

"What?" they asked together.

"Nothing, just…" he turned away, "You guys would probably have a cute kid."

They both blushed, Hermione putting her hands on her hips to frown at him, "Fred, stop having crazy illusions. That would never happen."

"Yeah, Fred," George said, slightly wilting, "That would never happen."

"I dunno you two," he winked at them, "Stranger things have happened." And with that, he Apparated away.

George snorted and shook his head at his twin, "Ignore him. So, got any plans tonight?"

"I think I'll just try to straighten up my loft for human compatibility. _No, don't go up there!_" she gasped as he headed for the stairs, "I'm serious, it's terrible!"

"Oh come on," he grinned at her, "It's probably nothing."

"But it is!" she said, "It's worse than – than _your_ room!"

George gasped, putting a hand to his face, "Good gracious, no!" He then snorted and rolled his eyes, "Hermione, if I can live in my room, I think I can go up to your loft and help you clean."

"No, you can't," she frowned, "I won't let you."

"I doubt you can stop me," he smirked, making to go up the stairs before she darted in front of him.

"George, no," she frowned up at him.

He stepped closer, still trying to get to the stairs, but she backed up to block his path. He tried to step around her, but only succeeded in getting closer to her and having her go up a little. He tried again, and they got a few steps higher.

"George," she warned.

He grinned and leaned down to whisper in her ear that he'd win anyway, but she saw this as him trying to walk that way. Hermione and George were soon face-to-face, and very close together. George forgot all about getting to her loft, or even why they were half-way up the staircase. He stared at her while she stared back.

"Do you think," he murmured to her, his eyes never leaving her face, "That one of us should move?"

"Yes," she said.

And Hermione moved closer, stepping down to his step and standing up on her toes to press her lips against his. He blinked before slowly reaching a hand up to tangle it in her hair as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Pulling her closer to him, he smiled when she hummed against his lips.

They gasped as George staggered backwards on the step, making him reach forward and clutch the handrail. Getting his footing and making a mental note to never kiss her while they were on the same step again, he looked up and saw that she was putting a hand to her lips, her eyes wide and staring at him.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I – I shouldn't have – have done that." She turned to run up the stairs, but he leapt forward and grabbed her wrist, still holding the handrail.

"You kissed me," he frowned up at her as tears welled in her eyes, "And you're apologizing?"

A tear raced down her face, "I shouldn't have, I shouldn't have done it, I'm sorry, George, I'm so sorry."

His face softened and he took a step higher, only to make her take one too, "Why are you sorry?"

"You don't like me like that and I kissed you," she whispered as George took another step, then another. He was soon level with her, but another step made him taller then her again.

"I don't ever remember saying that I didn't like you like that," he murmured, brushing the tear away.

She furrowed her eyebrows up at him, "Y – you -?"

He smiled down at her and kissed her again, completely oblivious to the fact that Fred and Lee were grinning as they watched through the door.

A few months passed, and soon a few years did as well. Fred became the father to Rosie Julian Weasley, who was a big bundle of energy and loved to have fun, just like her parents. Hermione and George were practically the perfect couple, helping each other out when they needed it and picking them up with a laugh. They did occasionally fight, but it wasn't that bad and it was mainly about nothing. George had, in fact, taken to staying with her most nights to "give Fred and his family some space." Or at least, that's what he promised Hermione it was about. Really, it was about him trapping her on the couch with him and falling asleep together. He wondered when the last time she slept in her bed was.

"Uncle George!" Rosie squealed as she ran down the stairs and onto her uncle's leg as Fred pounded after her, looking worried before he saw that she hadn't fallen down the stairs again and was safely on level ground.

"Hey Rose," George grinned as he towed her up to settle her on his hip, "What's up?"

"How's Hermione?" she asked instead.

"She's great," his smiled turned a little suspicious now, "Why do you want to know?"

"Geeeoooorrrrgge," she whined, slumping into his shoulder and frowning up at him, "When are you going to ask her to marryyyy yooooouuu?"

He frowned at her, "Have you been talking to your gran again?"

"Yes," she smiled, "She said I could probably be a flower girl! Can I, Uncle George, can I, can I _please_?"

"Get Hermione to say yes, and we'll see," he set her down only to catch her arm before she could walk away, "And that does _not_ mean to go ask her for me. I mean it, Rosie, _don't._"

She only grinned at him before skipping into the backroom. Fred chuckled and slapped him on the back.

"Sorry about that, mate," he grinned, "Mum, Angelina and Fleur have, apparently, gossiped around her, and when she's a scheming type…it doesn't go great. But, seriously though," he dropped the smile, "When will you ask her to marry you?"

"It's none of your bloody business, so back off," George frowned at him as he went to the register. Fred grinned cheekily at him instead of getting offended.

"You're asking her tonight, aren't you?" he said, leaning towards his twin and smiling.

The corner of George's mouth twitched, "Perhaps."

Fred laughed and clapped him on the back again, "Go get her, Georgie."

George was fidgety for the rest of the day, hardly staying still as he counted down the hours. Finally, it was closing time and he was tugging off his WWW robes, dropping them off on Rosie and Teddy, who gave out an indignant 'hey!' He chuckled and waved at them, but gave Fred a nervous grimace. He just gave him two thumbs-up, making Lee furrow his brow over at him before exclaiming with a grin, "You're a fish! No, a porcupine! C'mon, Fred, you know I'm rubbish at charades!" Fred smacked his forehead, rolling his eyes and grumbling at his friend before grabbing his ear and pulling him into the back room. George chuckled and headed out the door, over to Wonderland.

"But Miss Hermione!" a little girl whined as she clung to her leg, her mother standing by and watching, "I don't want to leave!"

Hermione laughed down at the girl, "Oh, but Margie, I'll be here tomorrow and the next day, and then the day after that. And then I'll be here on Monday and the rest of next week. In fact, I think I can tell you with absolute certainty that I'll be here for this month."

"You never know though," George said, smiling at her, "Something could come up."

"Something good, I hope," she said as Margie's mother picked her up and left, waving at them as she did.

"Of course – I can hardly see anything bad coming this way," he said as he reached over and twirled the sign over to show the CLOSED side.

She hummed and stepped up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest. He smiled down at her as she sighed, wrapping an arm around her and running a hand through her hair.

"Tired, Love?" he asked, grinning when he felt her yawn.

"Yes," she said, burying her face in his sweater, "So tired. Are you staying tonight again?"

"Can I?" he asked, trying to keep the nervous pitch out of his voice.

"Of course," she said, picking her head up and smiling at him, "Just let me finish cleaning, alright?" She moved to step back and clean, but George picked her up bridal style.

Very ironic, huh?

"George!" she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck, "What are you doing?"

"You, my love, are not going to clean – I will, and I will return to you shortly," he said as he walked up the stairs, going slowly and carefully so they wouldn't both tumble down the steps. George tapped the door with his foot, making it open so he could deposit Hermione on the couch.

"George!" she protested with a laugh, trying to get up, but he gently pushed her back down again.

"Stay," he said with a grin as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. When he pulled back, she was smiling up at him, curling her arms around her legs.

He grinned back before going out the door, closing it behind him to walk slowly down the stairs, his face showing nervousness again.

"Alright George," he muttered to himself as he waved his wand at a stack of books, making them fly to their respective shelves, "No sweat, right? You just have to beg this woman to bind herself to you for all eternity. No problem. Oh wait, aside from the fact that she could reject you – that's a problem."

He sighed as he fixed the furniture and toys in the kids' section with another flick of his wand, "You've been dating her for two and a half years – what have you to worry about? She hasn't gotten rid of you yet – why would she reject you?"

He huffed, sending a few papers away from the counter, "Because you haven't pushed her before. You're practically pushing her to 'the next step.'"

He frowned at the floor, chin in his hand as he did. He heard the door above him open and then Hermione calling down to him, "George, you alright?"

He whirled around and grinned up at her, "Yeah, fine, Love. Ready for bed?"

She indicated her baggy blue sweater and white sweatpants, "Yeah. You?"

He nodded as he walked up the stairs, watching as she disappeared through the door. He gave a silent, nervous sigh before walking in after her, glancing over at the blanket thrown over the couch and the fire she'd started in the fireplace. She smiled at him from one edge of the couch and he smiled back, sitting on the other edge and pulling her towards him and into his lap. She laid her head on his chest, curling her feet in as he tossed the blanket over them.

He waited for a few minutes, guiltily half-praying that she'd fallen asleep, "Hey, Hermione?"

"Yes, George?" she answered, tilting her head up to look at him.

"I've got a question to ask you," he pulled away from her, sitting her in the middle of the couch as he stood up, pacing in front of the fire.

"Alright," she said warily, watching him with the blanket still tangled around her legs.

"We've been dating for a while – two and a half years, in fact."

"Yes…."

"And you know I love you to the bottom of my heart."

She nodded this time, smiling a little at him, although still wary.

He opened his mouth to say more, but the words failed him and he started panicking, so he said the first thing that came to mind, "And you know that I have pranked you in the past, and you've forgiven me anyway, so hopefully that means you love me too."

She laughed, grinning up at him, "Of course I love you, you nutter." She frowned a little, "Now what's going on?"

He walked towards her and stood in front of her, "I love you, and I always will, I can promise you with as much certainty as possible. Never forget that."

She looked fearfully up at him, "George?"

He went to pull the ring out of his pocket, but started when Crookshanks headbutted him in the leg, making him drop the ring. He gaped at her, who hadn't seen it and was now staring at him with a confused expression. He dropped down to the ground and looked around for it, glaring at the smug looking Crookshanks as he did.

"George, are you alright?" she asked, leaning over the edge of the couch and watching him.

"Errr – yeah, never better," he said as he scanned the cracks of the floorboards.

"Then why are you on the floor and glaring at my cat?"

He sighed and sat up on one knee in front of her, "Hermione Jean Granger, I am asking you to marry me, and your cat just made me drop the ring."

She gaped at him, her eyes wide, and in another act of panic, he dropped down to the floor again, under the pretense of finding the ring. She was going to say no, he just knew it. He'd ruined everything with those two words, he'd ruined everything he'd wanted.

"George," she breathed as she dropped down to the floor, making him pick himself up to face her, his blue eyes scanning her brown ones.

He watched as her eyes never left his face and her mouth opened. It was over, whether it was positive or negative, everything would change now.

"Yes," she breathed before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing any part of him she could reach, "Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes!"

George felt himself waking up, grinning and hugging her and kissing her and feeling better than ever. He looked over when he felt something bump his hand, seeing Crookshanks with the ring in his mouth. He smirked at the cat and took it.

"Conniving little bugger, aren't you?" he said before turning to Hermione and slipping the ring on her finger, kissing her again.

She hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder, "I love you, George."

He grinned into her hair, "I love you too, Hermione."

Hermione and George were married in September, moving into the flat above Wonderland together and deciding what they wanted in the future. A house of their own, they decided, with more than two bedrooms. They were debating between getting a dog or another cat – George had been full-fledged on the dog, but Crookshanks was trying to persuade him to Hermione's side.

And kids. They wanted kids. They'd stayed up all night one night talking about whether they wanted kids or not. Which, of course they did, but the matter was how many.

George had shrugged, "Enough."

Hermione had arched an eyebrow, "How much is 'enough'?"

He had grinned back at her, flipping over on his stomach on the bed to smile at her, "Until we think our family is full."

She had smiled back.

Four months after that encounter, George was helping Hermione with her bookshop, although Hermione seemed nervous all throughout the day. George just shrugged it off, making her smile whenever the opportunity presented itself. When it was after work and she was staring at a wall, biting her lip as she stirred her tea, he started noticing something was off.

Her breaking her mug with her bare hands could've tipped him off.

George leapt up from the couch and over to her, Crookshanks strutting along worriedly as well. Stepping over the smashed mug pieces and hot tea on the floor, he held her wrists and looked at her hands, finding little pieces of ceramic clay in her palms and blood dripping down to merge with the tea on the floor.

"Merlin, Hermione, are you alright?" he asked before he looked up from her hands to her face, "_Are_ you alright? You haven't been acting like yourself today."

Her mouth opened before she futilely shut it again, then opened it once more, "I'm fine."

"Now _that_, I know, is a lie. You just broke a mug for no reason. You're saying that's fine?"

"No," she mumbled before tears started welling in her eyes, making him drop her wrists and reach forward to rub the falling ones away, "I'm scared, George."

"Of what, love?" he asked, taking her hands again and pulling out his wand to clean them.

"Your reaction…" she trailed off, watching him work.

"About?" he prompted warily, slightly stern.

"To what I'm going to tell you," she inspected her healed hands before looking up and watching as George flicked his wand without so much as a second glance as he cleaned up the mess behind him. His attention was focused solely on her.

"Hermione…what are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to say…that I'm…I'm pregnant."

A few silent minutes crawled by. The clock was ticking. The fire crackled as the flames munched on the logs. Crookshanks was silent.

"You're what?" he croaked out hoarsely, his stance frozen.

"I'm pregnant, George," she repeated.

The moments ticked by now before he grinned and picked her up, twirling her around and kissing her fiercely. When they pulled back, he was beaming at her.

"You're pregnant?" he repeated as his grin infected her own face. She nodded and he kissed her again.

The Weasleys were overjoyed when they heard. Molly, Ginny, Angelina and Fleur all jumped up and flew towards Hermione, hugging her and grinning and squealing and asking numerous questions. Hermione just let herself be tossed around, looking worriedly at George.

Harry threw himself at Hermione next, hugging her and refusing to let go.

"Harry," Hermione said again, a laugh edging into her voice.

"No," he grinned as he danced a little with her, "You're having a baby and I'm happy and you're going to name it after _meeeee_!"

"What?" Ron whirled around from congratulating George and towards them, looking as if he had just been called a 'frilly wack-a-doo' and slapped in the face with a trout. "No! She's naming it after _me!_"

"Haha!" Ginny laughed as Hermione was forgotten, "If anything, she's naming the baby after me."

"You hate your name," Fred reminded her.

"That's why it would be _Jenny_," she grinned, batting her eyelashes at her brother.

"What if it's a boy?" Bill questioned.

Ginny hummed, but before she could get an answer out Charlie proclaimed, "It'll be named after me!"

"No way!" Percy frowned, "They'll name it after me!"

"Nuh-uh!" Bill frowned, "After _me!_"

"No way, you silly geese," Angelina scoffed, "They'll name the baby after me!"

"No how!" Bill argued, "Me!"

"I find eet better to stay out of dis nonsense," Fleur spoke up before turning to Harry and shaking her head at him, "Look at what you 'ave done, 'Arry, look what you 'ave done."

"Me!" Rosie and Teddy joined in, Victoire a beat later.

"Me!"

"Me!"

"Me!"

Fred, George and Hermione stood by the sink with Molly and Arthur, the parents-to-be looking horrified while the others looked amused.

"Aww," Fred grinned, "That's so cute. They think the baby will be named after them. How delusional. Don't they know that they'll _obviously_ name it after me?"

"Fred?" George asked, "How would it work out if it was a girl?"

"Winifred!" he cheered as Molly shook her head and snorted at them.

"Fred, your brother and sister-in-law can name _their_ baby whatever they want," she admonished, "Although I can't deny that I'd be honored if you named it after me."

"Guys," Hermione stepped out, "Guys, guys, guys!"

"_QUIET!_"

Everybody stopped their racket and turned to the French blonde leaning against the doorway, looking bored as Victoire nestled on to her hip.

"Thank you, Fleur," Hermione smiled before turning to her family, "Look, if all of you are going to act like this, the baby is going to be named after – after Mungdungus Fletcher!"

Everybody previously in the fight gasped.

"Hermione," Charlie breathed, "Please – no, don't bring that upon anyone!"

"We'll be good, promise!" Bill said, Percy nodding his head in agreement. Ginny, Harry and Ron echoed their sentiments.

"Good," George nodded, "Besides, we're going to pick out names ourselves. I pick two names, and she picks two names. The two of the four we like better, we pick."

After nodding and agreeing and going back to celebrating the addition of another Weasley, Hermione and George went back to their flat and collapsed on the couch. George's heart beat underneath Hermione's ear as he lazily traced designs into her back.

"What _are_ we going to name the baby?" Hermione asked after a few silent moments.

"Well, I've picked out Harold and Winifred. And yes, I actually like the name Winifred. So shut up," he stuck his tongue out at her before smiling at her, "What about you?"

She hummed for a few seconds before saying, "I like Jonathon aaaaand…I'm thinking Molly."

George hummed now, his eyes turning up to the ceiling, "Jonathon and Winifred then?"

"Sounds great," she smiled as she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

A few months later and soon Hermione was ready for an ultrasound. Being uneducated and thus terrified of the Wizarding procedures for an ultrasound, they stuck with the Muggle procedure but would still go to Mungo's for the birth.

"Do you want to know the sex of the babies?" the nurse asked, looking innocently up at Hermione and George, both of whom had the monitor turned away from them.

"Su – wait," George and Hermione froze as they stared unblinkingly at the nurse as Hermione stuttered out, "_B-babies?_"

"Yeah," the nurse looked confused, "You're having twins."

"_Twins_?" they echoed.

"I thought you knew that," the nurse said quietly, "I thought you just came in for a second opinion."

"No! Twins?" George was blinking very fast now.

"Don't tell us the sex," Hermione urged her while George freaked out, "Please."

"You want to keep getting surprised?" the nurse blinked when Hermione grinned.

"Hardly anything is a surprise when you hang out with the people I hang out with," she chuckled as George stopped back at the bed and frowned at the sheets with his chin pressed into the edge, thinking.

"We'll stick with Jonathon and Winifred if it's a boy and a girl, and Winifred and Molly if it's two girls, and Jonathon and Harold if it's two boys," he concluded.

Hermione patted his hand, "Sounds like a plan."

George had been taking care of Rose and Teddy for Harry, Ginny, Fred and Angelina. Hermione had opted to help Molly at her house, even though she couldn't do much. She mostly just kept the older witch company.

Rose and Teddy had tackled George to the floor, and he was "struggling" to get up.

"Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha!" Rose sang as she jumped up and down on George's back.

"Hey, that feels good, keep at it," George laughed.

"Hey Uncle George," Teddy asked as Rose continued to jump on her uncle's back, "What's wrong with Aunty Minny's tummy? It's all round and stuff."

"Yeah," Rose said, slowing her jumps, "How come it's like that?"

"Well err…we told you two about the stork, right?"

"Yeah, you did."

"Well…the round tummy is like a beacon for the stork to find out where to drop off the baby. Her tummy will hurt and she'll go to the hospital for the stork to drop in and give her the babies."

"Will she get rid of the big tummy?" Rose questioned, flopping on his back and playing with his hair.

"Yeah, 'course," he shrugged before a loud pop alerted them of the presence of Percy, who had his hair messed up and glasses askew.

"GEORGE!" he exclaimed, "It – it's, the kitchen, and – and – "

"Whoa, Perce, calm down," George said he stood up, settling Rose on his hip, "What's wrong?"

Another pop alerted them of Ginny, who was already taking Rose out of his arms.

"Get your butt to Mungo's, George, you're going to be a father!" she ordered.

"What she said!" Percy said before the stunned George finally left with a yelp.

The moment he finally got there, Hermione was in mid-scream. He walked into the room and found that Harry had filled in for having his hand being pummeled.

"Help, help, help, help, help," he whispered as the Healer ordered Hermione to push again. George laughed and rushed to her side to grab the other hand, having her lessen her hold on Harry's but still kept him there.

"It hurts, it hurts," Hermione panted.

"I know, Love," he smoothed down her hair, "It'll be over soon, and then we'll have two little kids. Two for one, huh?"

The sound of a baby crying alerted them to the delivery of the first baby. Harry gaped before his eyes finally rolled back in his head and he thumped to the ground.

"Oh Harry," Hermione sighed breathlessly. "If only Voldemort knew you fainted when babies were born, he might've had a fighting chance." George chuckled before she screamed again, now unleashing all of the pain to George's hand since Harry had been called off duty. He could've sworn he heard a few cracks.

Once the second baby was born, Hermione collapsed as Harry finally came to, sitting up with his glasses askew on his forehead. George pecked her temple as he quickly and discreetly healed his hand, flexing it to make sure he'd fixed everything.

"Oh crap," she huffed as she curled in on her now flat and aching stomach, "Oh crap, that hurt."

"Yeah," Harry frowned and held up his hand, "I agree completely."

"Dunno what you're talking about," George shrugged, "My hand's totally fine."

"Oh yes, that's why you were wincing, hmm?" a nearby nurse said, making him shoot a glare over at her before a pink bundled was gently thrust into his arms. He sucked in a breath as brown eyes blinked up at him.

"Oh she's gorgeous," Hermione cooed as George lowered the first baby to her.

"So is her sister," Harry grinned as he held out the other baby for Hermione to take.

"I'm a dad," barely escaped George's lips as he stared down at the two little girls.

"The screaming stopped," Mrs. Weasley said as she entered the room, stopping by the doorway with Fred and Arthur next to her, "We wanted to check…."

"Mum, Dad, Fred," George turned and beamed at his family, "This here is Molly."

"M-Molly?" Mrs. Weasley began to sniffle, smiling teary-eyed at her son.

"And right over there is Winifred," he grinned back at Hermione and Harry, who were smiling down at the baby before smiling at the Weasleys.

"Really?" Fred's grin got bigger, "Are you really?"

"Winifred Hayleigh Weasley," Hermione gave a smirk, glancing at Harry.

"Hey, that sounds like – " Harry cut off with a gasp, "You're naming her after me too?"

"Well, considering you and Fred both almost died in the same night," George frowned now, "We figured you two should share a namesake."

"Molly Artemis Weasley," George was grinning at his father now, "Now guess where the middle name came from. Go on, Dad, guess."

Arthur beamed at him before stepping forward and clapping a hand to his shoulder, "Son, I always worried about you and Fred – "

"Hey," he and Fred interjected with frowns.

"Now let me finish," Arthur reprimanded, "As I was saying, I always worried about you and Fred. You two have messed up enough in your lives – "

"Hey!" they argued again.

"_Hush!_ You two have messed up enough in your lives for the entire wizarding world over, but you kept on trudging. And look where it got you. Fred has Angelina and Rose, and you've got Hermione and those two girls."

"Is there a point to this, Dad?" Fred asked as Molly cooed over Winifred.

"Just that you should always keep going," he smiled, "Something to tell your girls when they get older."

"Hey," Harry interjected loudly, "Do you think they'll have red or brown hair?"

"Oh Merlin, I hope its brown," George groaned, lightly bouncing Molly, "I can't take it if it's red."

"And why not?" Mrs. Weasley and Arthur both frowned at him.

"Because I've seen enough red hair in my lifetime," he shrugged, "And I hate all the 'ginger' comments I keep getting."

"Oh god," Hermione suddenly moaned, "_Please_ let them have straight hair! _Please_ let them have straight hair!"

The group laughed as Fred sat down next to her and finally got to hold his niece.

Years later, Molly and Winifred proved that despite the fact that they looked alike, they were nothing alike. Molly loved reading, Winifred loved being active. Molly was fine being quiet, but Winifred belted out songs as loud as she could.

"Mummy," Winifred said as she glared at the mirror at her frizzing curly hair. Another thing that separated the two was that Winifred inherited her mother's bushy/curly hair, while Molly had George's straightened hair. The hair colors of the two parents had been merged to become red in some light and brown in others. It was brown with a red tint some days and then red with a brown tint other days. "Mummy, how come my hair's all mean but Molly's hair is nice?"

Hermione smiled and reached out to finger her daughter's hair, "Well, Molly got Daddy's hair and you got mine."

"But Mummy," she pouted as she turned and faced her mother, "How come _your_ hair doesn't look like a dust bunny?"

George snorted into his tea as he passed by, getting a little in his nose.

"Because I learned to fix it in my fifth year or so," Hermione said as she reached over into a bowl near the sink and grabbing a ponytail holder, "You see, I kept my hair in one braid the whole time and used a few spells and viola – it wasn't a bush anymore!" She then began to braid her hair, and when she was done only her bangs were left.

"Ooh!" Molly hopped up next to her sister on the stool, the brown eyes all being reflected in the mirror, "Braid mine too! I want to match Winnie!"

"Ugh!" Winifred groaned, "Molly! Don't call me Winnie!"

"Why not?" she questioned as Hermione started on her hair.

"It's a gross name," she made a face.

"Well what would you rather we call you?" George asked.

"I dunno," she shrugged.

"Hey, do you think that if we asked Uncle Fred, we could call _you_ Fred?" Molly asked as she smiled happily at her braid.

"Wouldn't that get confusing?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"You're right," Winifred humphed before brightening, "Let's go ask Rose and Teddy!"

"Yeah!" Molly cheered as they hopped down and raced out of the bathroom.

"Hey, wait, hold on, you can't cross the street by yourselves!" George yelped as he scrambled to set his tea down and hurry after them.

"But we're not by ourselves!" they cried out, "We have each other!"

Hermione hid her chuckles behind her hair as she watched her full grown husband argue with two five year olds.

Molly and Winifred were soon ten and were relentless with hanging around Rose and Teddy, the returning Hogwarts students, along with James Potter the second and Albus.

"Oh come on!" Winifred and Molly huffed in harmony as they pouted at their cousins, who wouldn't hear to have them come to Diagon Alley with them.

"You're way too clingy!" Rose frowned as James nodded his agreement. Albus sighed and sunk lower in his seat.

"We haven't got anybody else to hang out with!" Molly cried out, "It's just me and Winifred all day long!"

"There are kids at Wonderland and Wheezes!" James glared.

"And we never see them again!" Winifred pouted even more, "Come on!"

"Lay off, guys," Teddy said, "They've got a good point."

"No!" Rose stomped her foot and glared at the two girls, "You're not coming with and that is _that_!"

Winifred and Molly merely glared at Rose and James before they spun on their heels and marched off to their room without another word.

"Look what you've done," Teddy frowned at the two as Albus watched them go sadly. "Do you remember when _I_ went to Hogwarts first and you two wanted to come with me?"

"Oh lay off it, Lupin," Rose huffed, "You're only a year older than me."

"Still," he shrugged, "Do you remember how much you hated me when I wouldn't let you go?"

Rose and James shared glances.

"Do you _really_ want them to deal with that for a year, when you won't be able to see them for three weeks at most? What would it hurt?"

Albus pushed off from the couch and marched over to the girls' room, knocking, "Hey, Molls, Win, open up, I – " He'd opened the door and gotten a scalpful of what looked like pink pudding.

"MOLLY ARTEMIS WEASLEY! WINIFRED HAYLEIGH WEASLEY!" he bellowed once he got over the initial shock.

"We thought you'd be Rose or James!" they shouted back.

"What's going on?" George asked as he walked into the living room, Hermione and Ginny following. Ginny gasped before tentatively walking towards Albus.

"Al?" she asked.

"It smells like fish!" he finally said, going to the bathroom and peeling his sweater off.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, frowning disapprovingly at her girls.

"They started it – " Winifred began.

" – It's all their fault, really – "

" – We _had_ to retaliate, Mum, honestly – "

" – It wouldn't be right if we just sat back and let it happen," they finished together as Hermione stared at them in shock.

"Oh Merlin – I've got Weasley twins!" she cried out as Ginny and George laughed. James, Rose, Teddy, Molly and Winifred glanced at each other before shrugging.

"OH MY MERLIN, THERE'S A FISH SPINE IN HERE!" Albus crowed over the sound of the shower. Molly and Winifred went into a fit of giggles as Rose and James quietly edged away from them.

A year later and soon Hermione was leaning against George, waving tearfully at the two girls as they leaned out of the Hogwarts Express and waved like mad.

"Goodbye!" Molly shouted as the train began to pull away.

"We love you!" Winifred grinned.

"We mean it!"

"Bye!" they shouted together as the train got more speed.

"I feel so alone without them," Hermione admitted as George chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"Don't worry, Love, they'll be back soon," he assured her.

Seven years later and all of the Weasleys were in a frenzy, setting up bouquets on tables and hanging up fairy lights. James and Teddy had had a fight with Rose and the three had ended up hanging from the tent, squabbling and trying to find out how to get down from the blinking mess.

"It's all your fault!" Rose shouted as she attempted to kick her cousin and her best friend/boyfriend.

"Ours!" they shouted back.

"It's your bloody fault!" Teddy growled as he tried to avoid being kicked.

"Guys!" Albus shouted down from below, Lily smiling up at them, "Quit fooling around! She'll kick your butt if you ruin it!"

"We know!" they shouted back before Hermione finally took pity upon them and let them down gently.

"Are we all ready yet?" George asked as he attempted to fix his tie, only to have Hermione chuckle and fix it for him.

"We're ready when she is," Rose said breathlessly as she fixed her hair, and once that was done she sighed and smiled fondly at the air, "It was only yesterday when she and her sister dumped fish guts on Al."

Teddy sniffed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leaning a little on her, "I remember it fondly."

Albus wrinkled his nose, "Ulgh, don't remind me."

Mrs. Weasley came fluttering towards them, fixing George's hair as he frowned, "She's ready, she's ready! Oh my, oh dear, this is happening!"

Rose was suddenly teary-eyed as she reached for her aunt, "Oh Aunty Minny! She's growing up! Before _me_!"

Teddy suddenly looked uncomfortable and edged backwards a little as Mrs. Weasley shot him a glare.

"Relax, Rosie," Hermione soothed as George looked sad, "Everything will work out soon enough."

"And hey, think of it this way Uncle George," Teddy grinned, "You're not losing her, you're just gaining a – "

"Stuff it, Teddy – it's not working," he frowned at him.

"Yeah, didn't think so," his shoulders drooped. Mrs. Weasley soon ushered everybody but George to their seats along the aisle, where a nervous looking man was waiting. George went to the house and opened the door, finding his two daughters in the kitchen and fixing each other.

Molly was breathing heavily, placing a hand on her stomach as Winifred fixed her hair.

"Relax, Molls," Winifred reassured before she hugged her sister, "This is real, this is happening, and you _know_ that this is right."

"I know," Molly was near tears, "It's just that – next week and – I'm so scared for you – won't be there to help – "

Winifred laughed, "What's there to help with? I just have to reuse your stuff and we're all set! 'Something borrowed' right?"

Molly paled, her few and faint freckles suddenly standing out, "Oh Merlin – I didn't do it! I didn't do the checklist!"

She sighed, "Molls, calm down, that's an old Muggle thing."

"Still! We're half-bloods! We should still do it!" Molly let out a worried whine before taking a breath, "Okay, okay, 'something old' – well, err, Gram's earrings! 'Something new' – ahh, what's new?"

"Your _dress_?" Winifred leaned against the counter, shooting her father an exasperated look. "That I spent _hours_ 'yay'ing or 'nay'ing?"

"Aha! The dress! Now, 'something borrowed' – what's borrowed?"

"My quill sticking precariously out of your bun?" she huffed, "Which, I want back, by the way, that's my last pure white quill."

"Something blue," Molly ignored her sister, "Something blue, something blue."

"Ooh!" Winifred hopped up and lifted the skirt of her dress, pointing her wand at the white heels. They soon turned a very light blue.

Molly squealed and hugged her, making George grin, "I love you, Winnie!"

"What did I say about the 'Winnie'?" she growled out.

"I don't care! Now, go get your groom-to-be and lead the way down that aisle!"

"Yes sir," Winifred saluted before walking out the door, stopping and kissing her father's cheek, "She's really nervous, Sarge. Think you can handle the mission?"

George chuckled, "I think so. Good luck out there, Love, don't trip."

"Well now it'll happen," she mumbled before opening the door and stepping outside as the music swelled.

Molly whimpered and held her arms out, "Daddy…"

He smiled and hugged her, "No matter what happens, we'll always be here. Me, your mum, and your sister, we'll always be here for you."

She sniffed and pulled back, dabbing at her eyes, "Thanks. I think I'm ready."

"Well then," he offered his arm to her, "Better go before you chicken out again."

She lightly slapped his arm before taking it and heading out.

Hermione and George were sitting together at a table, watching as Teddy and Winifred danced crazily, the two laughing as they did. Rose was trying to get James to dance with her, but he was hiding under a table from his cousin.

"Oh come on, you big wimp!" she glared at the quivering table, "It's just a dance!"

"But you're scary!" he claimed.

"So," George said as he draped an arm across the back of Hermione's chair, "Are you sad as well?"

"Oh no," she smiled back at him, "This is only the beginning."

"Oh really?" he asked as she leaned into him, "And how do you figure?"

"Well…" she looked up at him, "Grandkids."

He frowned, "Oh no, no way, _neither_ of them, we are too freaking young to be grandparents!"

She laughed, burying her face into his neck, "George, have I ever told you that you're really something?"

"Every day," he mumbled back before placing a kiss to her lips.

She hummed back, playing with a lock of his hair as she watched Rose chase after James, "Do you ever wonder what it'd be like if it'd just…turned out differently?"

"Yes," he sighed, "But then I quickly switch to more happier thoughts because I hate to think what could've happened if _we_ didn't happen."

She reached up and kissed his cheek, "I love you, George Weasley."

"I love you too," he smiled.

And he realized that ever since he'd begun liking, dating, loving, marrying, living with Hermione that he was just George. There was no 'Fred' attached before his name, or after it for that matter. It was simply George to her.

Just George.

* * *

><p><strong>Rose, Molly, Winifred all belong to <strong>_**me**_**. I might write a story involving them and their Hogwarts years once things aren't so stressful, but I don't know yet. **

**Review! This piece of crap (and I say that lovingly) is 74 pages long and was written over a span of months! Show your freaking appreciation!**


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